But why?

Two months ago Aurora SWAT Officer Paul Jerothe shot and killed unarmed Naeschylus Vinzant. Police officials and the the Jefferson County DA have so far not released any more details in the shooting, reports The Aurora Sentinel. Vincent was out on parole, wanted on kidnapping and robbery charges, and had reportedly removed his ankle monitor right before police tried to arrest him. None of that explains why he was shot.

Big bucks

Independent political campaign finance groups spent more than $300,000 in the Fort Collins city elections held last month. The oil and gas group Larimer Energy Action Project was the source of roughly half of that money. The industry mainly spent to win Ray Martinez a seat on city council. Martinez is a former mayor who worked for the industry to fight a five-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing passed in 2013. Marijuana groups and anti-fracking groups also spent big in the elections. Via The Coloradoan.

Parent power

Denver Post profiles some of the moms battling the frackers on the Front Range. “We’d really like you guys to consider not being here,” Greeley mom Trisha Golding told Extraction Oil and Gas officials during informal meetings with parents. “Trisha and I talk often,” Extraction president Matt Owens said. “We are diligently trying to find a new location and working with the Frontier parents’ group.”

Windy city

Homeowners in El Paso County have launched a lawsuit against Next Era Energy Resource to halt a soon-to-be 100-turbine wind farm near their homes in what may be an increasingly frequent fight between property owners and renewable-energy companies. Via The Gazette.

Dry diplomacy

Kyrgyzstan faces more than internal political turmoil; people also face major drought. A delegation from the former-Soviet republic ventured to Pueblo to learn from Colorado farmers about how they manage to grow food with scarce access to water. Via The Pueblo Chieftain.

Smelly situation

Homeowners are suing an Aspen condo association, and the two sides are saying the other is full of, well, sewage, reports The Apsen Times. A plumbing backup is the latest development in this housing stink.

Paper product

The staff of the University of Colorado’s online newspaper is made up of digital natives — students busy all day YikYakking, SnapChatting and Tweeting. But this year, the CU Independent is producing a magazine, too. It’s a one-off due out at the end of the summer, and Editor Jordyn Siemens sees it as a form of advertising. “Being online-only allows you to fall back into the web sometimes.” she said. “If we produce something tangible again, that would be a great way to market ourselves but also reach out to students who might not regularly check online or be connected with us on social media.”

The Colorado Independent is a statewide online news source operating in a time when spin is plentiful, but factual, fair and unflinching news in the public interest is all too rare. Our award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.

OUR MISSION

The Colorado Independent's award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.

BEATS

OUR MISSION

The Colorado Independent's award-winning team of veteran investigative and explanatory reporters and news columnists aims to amplify the voices of Coloradans whose stories are unheard, shine light on the relationships between people, power and policy, and hold public officials to account. We strive to report the news with context, social conscience, and soul, and to give Coloradans the insight they need to promote conversation, understanding and progress in this square, swing state we call home.